Lightning-rod fastener.



J. R. OONNELL.

- LIGHTNING ROD FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 24, 1912.

1,125,,06e Patented Jan. 19, 1915 THE NORRIS PFTERS C0,, PHOTU-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D,

IlFi AT JAMES R. CONNELL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 WISCONSIN IRON AND WIRE WORKS, OF MILWAUKEE, 'WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

LIGHTNING-ROD FASTENER.

nieaoea.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an. 19, 1915.

Application filed July 24, 1912. Serial No. 711,370.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES R. CoNNnLL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lightning-Rod Fasteners, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

This invention relates to means for attaching a lightning rod or the like to a building or other support and has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive structure which may be fastened to the building by ordinary wood screws or otherwise and which presents a pair of spring arms to receive the lightning rod between them and to retain engagement therewith by spring pressure.

WVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the lightning rod fastener as herein claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in the different views: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lightning rod fastener constructed in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof attached to a support and engaging the lightning rod; and, Fig. 3 is a view of the stamping or blank from which it is formed.

In these drawings the lightning rod fastener of this invention is shown to be made of a single piece of sheet metal cut in the form of the blank shown in Fig. 3 where two parallel strips are connected together nearer one end than the other by a short connecting part 10 and the longer portion of the parallel strips have openings 11 punched in their ends. This blank is bent up into the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the connecting portion 10 bent to an inverted U- shape to bring the portions of the parallel strips which join it into parallel planes close together and the longer ends of the strips bent to diverge from each other on leaving the connecting portion 10 and then bent again to have their perforated ends extend in opposite directions in the same plane to form feet 12 which may be fastened to a building or other support by means of wood screws 13 or the like passing through the openings 11. The shorter arms of the strips also diverge from each other and are bowed or bent in reverse curves to form flaring spring arms 14 with their ends rounding to produce a slight contraction at the entrance to the rod-engaging seat formed between them.

In use the lightning rod holder is fastened in place by means of screws 13 or otherwise and in order to secure the lightning rod 15 thereto it is only necessary to force it into the lightning rod seat between the arms 14 through the contracted entrance to said lightning rod seat and the spring action of the arms 11 will securely hold it in place. This work is quickly and easily performed and the rod is firmly held against accidental disengagement, but may be readily removed when occasion requires.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. A lightning rod fastener, comprising a clip formed of a single piece of sheet metal having a pair of strips connected at approximately their medial portion by a connecting piece integral therewith, said connecting portion being bent so that the parts of the strips connected by it lie in parallel planes and said strips having the ends at one side of the connecting piece diverging and extending in opposite directions with openings in them to form connecting feet and having their other ends diverging and bowed with their extremities turned outwardly to form a spring seat with a (ontracted mouth portion for a lightning ro *2. A lightning rod fastener, comprising a clip formed of a single piece of sheet metal having a pair of strips connected together at an intermediate portion by an arched connecting portion, the strips at one end thereof diverging and extending in opposite directions with openings in them to receive connecting means, and said strips at their other ends diverging and being bowed with their ends turned outwardly to form a spring seat with a contracted mouth portion for a lightning rod.

3. A lightning rod fastener, comprising a clip provided with oppositely extending feet for engaging a support, bowed spring arms forming a lightning rod seat between them with their ends bent away from and toward each other to form a contracted mouth por- In testimony whereof, I affix my signetionfor the lightning rod, an integral conture, in presence of two witnesses. nectlon between the bowed sprlng arms JAMES R CONNELL Where they join with the feet for holding them together against yielding and limiting Vitnesses:

the spreading movement of said bowed G. H. KEENEY,

spring arms. CLARA V. MUEI-ILBAGH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

